Recipe courtesy of Michelle Antonishek
One-Eyed Monster Financier with Blood Orange and Chocolate Ganache
- Level: Advanced
- Yield: 15 mini-cakes
- Total: 2 hr 25 min (includes cooling and setting time)
- Active: 50 min
Ingredients
Financier:
Nonstick baking spray
4 ounces (1 cup plus 3 tablespoons) almond flour
4 ounces (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) cake flour
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted
12 ounces (2 1/2 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup egg whites (8 to 10 eggs)
Ganache:
8 ounces (1 cup) heavy cream
8 ounces (3/4 cup) chopped dark chocolate
Assembly:
1 pound white fondant
1 blood orange, segmented
Mini candy eyes
Black edible glitter
Directions
Special equipment:
a 15-cavity (.6-ounce volume) mini half-sphere silicone mold- For the financier: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 15-cavity mini half-sphere silicone mold with nonstick spray.
- Whisk together the almond and cake flours and set aside. Cream together the butter, confectioners' sugar and baking powder in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed. Add the flour mixture and beat until smooth. Add the egg whites and continue mixing until combined and smooth. Spoon into the prepared silicone mold and bake until springy to the touch and lightly golden at the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack for 5 minutes, then unmold and let cool completely, 10 to 15 minutes.
- For the ganache: Heat the cream to a bare simmer over medium heat. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir to combine until smooth and glossy. Cover and cool in the refrigerator until set to a scoopable consistency, 1 to 2 hours or overnight.
- To assemble: Roll the fondant out to 1/8-inch thin. Cut into 15 rounds with a fluted 3-inch round cookie cutter. Place a financier, dome-side up, on a work surface. Top with 1 blood orange segment, then a small scoop of ganache (1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons), and finally a fondant round, pressing the sides around to make a little dome. Adhere a candy eye to the top, using a little water, and dust with a little black glitter. Repeat with the remaining cakes.